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Short Cuts: Narcissism edition
By Lesley | March 25, 2011
I have this Tumblr account, and I rarely use it, mostly because the interface on the site gives me a particular pain in the thinking part of my head. It is terrible. And yet I find myself wandering over there periodically when The Shit Is Going Down, because I like to be tuned in to The Shit's progress.
Of late there has been some productive (and not-so-productive) conversation about space, and safe space, and space where marginalized folks are the focus, and space that is sort of confusing in its purpose. At any rate, I posted original content over there, and I invite you to go read it. The post is called Four Deathfat Realities (Out of uncountable variant possibilities) and it is about listening. Of course, it being Tumblr, I have already been instructed to lose weight, and, alternatively, that I can't possibly be that fat. But I can! I have decided that my fatness is not unlike an iceberg, in that the majesty of its size cannot be appreciated in a mere photograph, and must be experienced first-hand in order to be fully understood.
A reader has pointed me at some recent quotes from Gwen Stefani on her body-maintenence routine. Shirley Manson (known best as the lead singer of Garbage, because no one but me remembers the excellent Angelfish, her prior band) interviewed Gwen Stefani for Elle UK, and the Daily Mail has a couple of excerpts about Gwen's "grueling" five-days-a-week workout schedule and her description of keeping her figure as "a daily struggle". This is hardly news—most female celebrities expend a huge amount of effort on keeping a certain size—but what caught me up was this quote:
''I'd like to have no rules and eat what I want, but I've learned over the years that I'm so disappointed when I can't wear the clothes I want to wear.
And if I let myself down, appear on stage when I'm not looking my best, it's not fun for me. I just beat myself up about it."
This is one of those things that I can't even get outraged about, it is so fucking depressing.
I want to be sympathetic to the pressure Gwen is under, I do. But that's awfully difficult when SHE HAS HER OWN CLOTHING LINE. She can MAKE the clothes she wants to wear. As a big-deal style-icon fashionlady, she can contribute to changing fashion culture, in however small a way, by choosing to produce clothing in a wide range of sizes and displaying them on a wide range of bodies. This makes it very difficult for me to feel sad for Gwen Stefani. That and the giant piles of money she can swim in, Scrooge-McDuck-style. When I say I can't wear certain clothing, it's because it doesn't exist. When Gwen says it, it's because she just wants to wear it in a particular size.
Gwen, of course, is entitled to feel her feelings, but the woe-is-me angle on this irritates me nonetheless, as she is the very picture of a woman with almost-limitless options. Case in point: she also mentions that her wedding dress (designed by the since-ruined John Galliano) is going into the Victoria & Albert Museum. What is this, I don't even.
I know that my weird love/hate thing with Kirstie Alley has long confounded many of my readers, but it persists in spite of your collective disdain! Alley is competing on the new season of Dancing With the Stars, a show I have never watched, and I don't plan to start now, as my only interest is in seeing Alley shake her fat ass. Luckily, we have YouTube for that. You can check out her cha cha below.
Oh, she is hilarious and bizarre. And in spite of her constant wah-wah-waaaaah-I-wanna-be-thin whinging, there's something strangely radical about her willingness to be so physical in a body she supposedly hates. Also, in her ability to kick ass when everyone expects her to fall on her face. Also, yes, girlfriend is fucking 60 years old. Reagan over at Dances With Fat has a solid analysis of the post-episode commentary on Kirstie's weight.
OH SHIT straight men are totally being oppressed by Dragon Age 2, the big Bioware epic just released this month. Y'see, in DA2 you can flirt with other in-game characters regardless of gender, and some grumpy straight guy who is probably a terrible lay complained about this in Bioware's forums. He doesn't like having to put up with the dude characters hitting on him, you understand! And he thinks Bioware is alienating his important straight-dude demographic!
Happily, a Bioware staff member shortly weighed in and essentially told Oppressed Straight Man to GTFO.
…[I]f there is any doubt why such an opinion might be met with hostility, it has to do with privilege. You can write it off as "political correctness" if you wish, but the truth is that privilege always lies with the majority. They're so used to being catered to that they see the lack of catering as an imbalance. They don't see anything wrong with having things set up to suit them, what's everyone's fuss all about? That's the way it should be, any everyone else should be used to not getting what they want.
DROPPING THE P-BOMB, Y'ALL. You can read the whole epic response here.
Last but not least: this past Friday I posted a big ol' rant about Michelle Obama's anti-childhood obesity campaign. I assumed a certain level of background on this issue, but many folks lacked context. That was my bad. So today, I am delivering a Childhood Obesity Breakdown that outlines my exact problems with Let's Move and Ms. Obama's many words on the subject, in handy bite-size form.
Problem #1: The campaign features a gratuitous and even harmful focus on fat kids exclusively. This sends a message that poor nutrition and lack of access to physical activity is only a public health problem for children who are also fat, and the effect of this is that thinner children who may be living on snack cakes and McDonald's are presumed to be "healthy" simply because they're not fat. This is ridiculous. Fact is, these issues threaten the long-term well-being of all children. But Let's Move has no time for worrying about any other children's health—indeed, putting aside the rhetoric and looking at the action, Let's Move does not seem to be invested in overall health at all, but is squarely interested in making fat children thin. This paradox undercuts any value the effort might otherwise have.
Problem #2: This campaign focuses on "little changes" and individual efforts, and while this approach is not conceptually bad, it ignores the systemic and institutional issues for which no "little change" can compensate. The influence of things like corn subsidies, the development of agribusiness, and other government-controlled aspects of food production on the availability of good nutrition to the broader population cannot be overstated. It's all well and good to tell poor families to buy more produce, but what if they live in a food desert? It's likewise a swell thing to encourage urban-dwelling communities to create shared gardens, but doing so requires a substantial financial outlay at the start, and gardening requires a considerable amount of time (which many working poor people do not have) and effort (which many working poor people cannot afford) for a surprisingly small degree of edible return. But hey, it makes a pretty picture.
Problem #3: The campaign silently refuses to acknowledge that that one cannot discuss "childhood obesity" without invoking fat kids (they are connected concepts, you know), and that this has a cultural effect on those kids, making them even greater targets for bullying than they already are, and singling them out as the root cause of social ills a la my scapegoating discussion of last week. The popular objection to this criticism seems to be that Michelle Obama must do something "innocuous" as First Lady, something that everyone can get behind, and of course everyone hates childhood obesity. But this argument does not hold water unless folks truly believe that the public would be outraged if her program were intended to better the health of all children, without singling out just the fat (i.e., broken) ones. The truth is, Michelle Obama's campaign does reinforce the bullying and social ostracization of fat children, but that's not the only bullying it supports. It also exploits our ugly urge to judge other people's parenting, by holding the parents of fat kids responsible for having destroyed their children's future lives by "allowing" them to get fat.
These are the main reasons why I believe that Michelle Obama's crusade will never succeed in improving children's health.
Got any links I missed? Drop 'em in comments.
41 Comments
I have the same love/hate relationship with Kirstie Alley. I want to shake her and tell her to just stop with the weight loss nonsense. I blog a lot about athleticism at every size, and seeing this fat, 60-year-old woman shake it is awesome. But there is something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth about a woman who has all the multiple privileges that comes with being 1) very conventionally beautiful, 2) very wealthy, 3) famous, etc. who won't stop feeling sorry for herself because she's not super slender.
I think there's a whole fascinating discussion to be had about people's perceptions of weights. I started really paying attention to it after the Simpsons episode where Homer gets a job where he can work from home and he figures out that he can set one of those "sipping bird" birds to do his job for him while he sits on the couch and eats donuts and gains weight like a Katamari.
The thing that completely blew my mind in that episode to it is that he reaches a point where he takes up the whole couch and he can't even move. He's couch-bound. And then they put a number to it — his weight has ballooned up to THREE HUNDRED POUNDS.
Seriously, folks, you can't tell me that ordinary everyday Homer doesn't weigh three hundred points or more. He's not a short guy, and he's pretty much spherical around the middle. And yet people have this hugely distorted view of it. I mean, I watched that and I was ranting about how unrealistic it was, and people seemed skeptical, because OMG 300 POUNDS, right? At that point you'd stick to the couch just by gravitation alone! And then I'd tell them that I weigh just under 350 pounds (and I get up off the couch just fine, thanks) and they didn't even know what to say.
It comes up at work, too, when I'm requesting a special chair and I point out that such and such a chair is only rated to 250lbs and they look at me like, "Yeah, so?" and I'm all, "I weigh a hundred pounds more than that," and they pretty much just flat-out don't believe me. I'll get the same, "But you don't look like you weigh…" response, and I'm all, "No, actually, this is what 350 pounds looks like." (I get that different people carry weight differently and I'm simplifying a bit there, but still.)
I think that that's one of the things that was great about the BMI project — that I could put up a photo and say, "Yeah, when you say 'morbidly obese' and picture that one photo you saw in the Enquirer with the person who couldn't get out of bed and then died, and you say how horrible it must be for those people, this is what it looks like, and I'm as happy and active and mobile as anyone." I think it'd be interesting to do something similar for numbers, especially because I think there are a lot of people out there who live like their weight is a shameful, private horror and someone's going to find out someday, without realizing that our perception of weights is so whacked out that probably half their friends weigh the same or more and they don't know it.
This, so much.
In my undergrad at art school I did an illustration featuring a fat burlesque dancer gleefully ripping up a women's magazine…and I drew a woman who looked a lot like me (I'm 5'4″, somewhere around 200lbs). I was told during my critique that for my message to be properly read, the dancer needed to be "a LOT fatter…you know, like, 200LBS or something." I was also told that she wasn't really fat because she didn't carry her weight…well, like a Katamari, to use your fantastic analogy. "She has a big belly but her arms are too skinny and so's her face. She's not REALISTIC," they said. And I'm sitting there in front of them, looking pretty much exactly like that, weighing at least 200LBS OH MY GOD and thinking where on earth do you people live?
Art school was a pretty sick place, in general. I sat through another critique where a girl described how much she loved to "go to the mall to draw fat people"…in their natural habitat, or something. Like a fucking safari.
Oh god, art school nearly killed me creatively, almost to the point where after knowing someone for 3 years they just found out today that I do art at all. That environment just was not healthy for me…
I remember many moons ago I was reading an interview with Camryn Manheim where she told a story about going to an audition that specifically asked for a fat woman. The people told her she wasn't fat enough, that they wanted someone who was at least 200 lbs. And she responded with something like "yeah, I weigh like 220." I'm probably butchering the details on that because I read it a long time ago but the sentiment is the same. Ugh, people!
YES! Loving this thread!!!! There's a song I quite like by Fats Domino called (of course) "Fat Man." And the main lyric is: "They call me the fat man/cause I weigh 200 pounds." Every time I actually *listen* to that, my brain hurts – because 200 pounds for a man is hardly fat. hardly. Unless the man is like 5'2″. And even then…
I also recently recalled a moment in high school, when I admitted to a co-worker that I weighed 120lbs (guiltily, fattily – ha!). Her response: "Well, you hide it well."
our sense of numbers and size is so f*cked up. there's no other way of putting it – it's just fucked. up.
Also! In the "realistic body" world, I had this friend in college who was very thin but had really big boobs. She told me about this time she was looking through a magazine with someone who was going on about how this model was so fake because no one that thin could have those breasts. And my friend was like, really, I'm sitting right here with my DD chest and size 2 body, dumb-ass.
So, basically, there's no scope on what's "realistic" because every single body is so different.
This is so true. I used to have a hard time admitting that I weigh 150 lbs. That just sounds like sooo much when a girl is only *allowed* to weigh 125. The people that I have told don't believe me. "But you're not fat!" they say. "You must only be a size 8 or a 10." Yeah, I am, and I weigh 150. This is reality.
As for childhood obesity, California has been testing children's bmi and "fitness level" for ages. I remember that in the 7th grade the qualifications for a girl were that you could run a mile in under 12 minutes, do 75 crunches, and do 16 push-ups. I passed easily with a mile in 10, 100 crunches, and 25 push-ups. So, imagine my surprise when the P.E. teacher took my height and weight and told me. "You're bmi is too high." I asked what that meant and he continued. "You're overweight. A girl your age at your height shouldn't weigh this much. If you were an adult, you're bmi would be in the healthy category, but since you're a child you weigh too much. A child isn't as developed as an adult."
Umm… Okay. So, let me just take a moment to shrink down to a a proper child's heighth (I was full grown at the time), and slow down my hormones so that I can not have a period anymore, make those DD's disappear, and shrink myself down to an appropriatley nubile state for California. Just ugh!! Thinking back on it makes me angry, but oh well, I'm an adult now so I'm acceptable to my soveriegn state and Michelle Obama, right? BMI is stupid and humiliating child is irresponsible.
I will be speaking to my children's school and telling them that they are NOT allowed to weigh my children under any circumstances. They have a pediatrician. Their health information is confidential. They have rights too. Also, they will be exempted from the fitness testing. Any parent in California has the right to exempt their child from these tests simply by signing a waiver. I wish more parents knew that.
I agree with this part so much.
I am about 5′ 3″ and weigh about 230# and wear a size 18/20 jeans. I have to ask about weight limits. People are always underestimating my weight.
I remember reading in Camryn Manheim's autobiography (and I'm paraphrasing poorly here) that she showed up for a casting call once for a "200 pound woman" and she was told she must be mistaken, they were looking for someone who was "really fat" like 200 pounds. I think she weighed like 212 at the time. Professional dieters have such distorted thinking about what the numbers on a scale correspond to.
Ha! I just commented above with this same Manheim anecdote. I'm pretty sure that story was the first time I ever considered the idea that weight/number perception could be totally screwed up.
Cockeyed.com has a photo chart of individuals by height and weight – http://www.cockeyed.com/photos/bodies/heightweight.html. I've had the same experience when people don't believe what I weigh – our images of bodies are so distorted, we don't really know what some one may weigh based upon how they look.
Nero Wolfe, who is depicted as being so obese he has trouble leaving his home, is also described as being 5'10" and under 300 pounds (Archie Goodwin frequently refers to Wolfe's "seventh of a ton").
Bertha Cool, Erle Stanley Gardner's female equivalent to Nero Wolfe, is depicted as super-obese at IIRC 180 pounds.
Now, in real life, the most famous US stage beauty of the late 19th century, Lillian Russell, was 5'3″ and weighed 200 pounds.
That DA2 kerfuffle is interesting, because no one's discussing the dude's other odious opinion, which is that the women available for the romance needs of the "straight male gamer" are too "exotic." Here's what he says:
The romance options, Isabella and Merrill, were clearly designed for the straight male gamers in mind. Unfortunately, those choices are what one would call "exotic" choices. They appeal to a subset of male gamers and while its true you can't make a romance option everyone will love, with Isabella and Merrill it seems like they weren't even going for an option most males will like.
I'm just primarily confused and distracted by the fact the Daily Mail apparently thinks the definition of 'demure' is the opposite of what it actually is?
I mean, I know they aren't Granta, but isn't that a little too illiterate, even for their online branch?
ummm just wanted to say that despite all the problem/fail with Kirstie, it made me SOOOO HAPPPY, just made my freaking day, to see a fat woman tearing shit up on national television. I didn't even watch it with the sound on….
also I love the way her partner grabs her butt as they go backstage, like they're bff's, too cute.
I haven't read any of the associated links so it might be terrible, but here's a kids book on being bullied about being fat. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/25/laniyah-bailey-bullying-book_n_840725.html
I wish Michelle Obama would read this blog entry. Just the other day I read another infuriating "news" story about how IMPORTANT she thinks the BMIs of children are:
"I certainly didn't know that even a small increase in BMI can have serious consequences for a child's health," she added, recommending that all parents inform themselves about the vital weight statistic.
This disinformation does so much harm when, as you point out, she could be doing so much good.
Another aspect of Michelle Obama's anti childhood obesity campaign I think is also racialized. I see it in part as an aspect of concern for the ways in which poverty and racism has negatively affected the health of children of color. Of course the problem is that this isn't a "more veggies yum!" campaign or "lets get rid of food deserts" but rather "lose weight fattie!" campaign which is super frustrating.
It's like how when Queen Latifah lost weight she also did a bunch of education/outreach things about diabetes and such.
Which of course is still problematic since if you want to focus on people eating healthier, controlling their blood sugar, the blood pressure etc, you don't need to talk about weight.
I wanted to post a thank you for the link to the "food desert" article. I haven't until today had a term to describe what food availability is like in the poorer neighborhood where I live. The closest major supermarket (bakery, big fresh produce section) is 3 miles away and on a major highway. Because my boyfriend and I own a car, this isn't a problem for us, but I routinely see my neighbors walking back from the neighborhood overpriced bodega/big line of 3 major fast food chains to their houses with food for their families.
Two of the walkable small groceries in the neighborhood have closed within the last 6 months. Their buildings stand empty. When the car was in the shop for a couple weeks, buying food was extremely difficult. Biking home with a weeks worth of groceries is uncomfortable at best and probably not possible for most of my older neighbors.
I moved here from a more affluent neighborhood "on the other side of the highway" (in the same city) where I could walk to a gigantic well stocked grocery within five minutes. The scarcity of places to buy bread or jam here without any HFCS in blows my mind. I was never really aware of the enormity of this issue in poorer neighborhoods. Thank you for giving me a term to help explain.
And this problem is one that people often don't even realize exists. They're all "just buy vegetables/fruit/lentils!" but don't realize that bodegas often don't even HAVE those things, or they stuff they have is old and gross or more expensive than the processed crap. And not everyone has the resources or time to travel to a better-stocked store and home AND THEN cook what they bought. It makes me ragey when people don't get it.
Your pointed critique to Michelle Obama's campaign is spot on, thank you for that. Switch gears now to hear this little story about bullying. I generally live in my own little deathfat world in my own little deathfat head, but was jarred out of it just an hour ago as I slowed down for a stoplight with my window down. I heard someone scream "MANATEE" out their window as they flew past the red light in the opposite direction. Of course I thought they were screaming at me. Imagine my surprise when I saw a woman who looks just like me walking across the street in front of my car. So the bully car killed two birds with one stone. The problem with kids who bully other kids is they grow up to be adults who bully other adults. I take that back….clearly they DON'T grow up. Myself, I couldn't give a shit whether he thinks I'm a manatee or any other living creature. I just felt bad for her because I could tell it stung.
Oh lordy, Lesley, I linked to your post about Michelle Obama's speech on Facebook and got into a nearly all-day-long argument with one of my friends who could not fathom why this was offensive and bad for the psyches of overweight children, and instead kept saying that it's a shame that MY experience as a fat child (that drove me into suicidal thoughts and an eating disorder) has so colored my thought process, as though my experience was invalid and somehow no other fat child would be subjected to torment.
I didn't link to this one, but I did link to the one Paul Campos wrote on Daily Beast and had a similar argument. It was all "Lay off Michelle Obama! I'm skinny and I was bullied too! They should just buy rice and beans!" It was a childhood friend who has always been skinny and I pointed out that she and I are perfect examples of why weight is a terrible indicator, since we could have the exact same diet/exercise regime and she would stay skinny and I would stay fat. Hell, when we were kids I probably had healthier eating habits than she did and still – shocking! – she was skinny and I was fat.
Yeah, skinny people are bullied. Sometimes, we're even bullied for being skinny. But there's a huge difference between being made fun of for one's weight when said weight corresponds to that of actresses and fashion models, and one sees people who look like oneself represented in the media all the time, and being bullied for one's weight when the only representation one sees of people with similar bodies in the media are pictures of "headless fatties" in articles about the "obesity epidemic."
And I know I don't have to tell this to any of you, but it's something that's been in my head for a while.
The Michelle Obama stuff is interesting to me to read and kind of sad, because I do love her, but this seems like such an empty gesture (and of course potentially damaging as you so thoughtfully explain). Once upon a time the government here and in Europe sponsored camps for undernourished children in order to get them the healthy food they so desperately needed. Despite the fact that we still have many many children who are malnourished, we have the first lady going around encouraging people to eat vegetables, grow a garden at school and not to be fat. Imagine what benefit could be reaped if that time was instead spent taking ACTION, such as getting farmer's markets sponsored in "food desert" areas and getting them to accept food stamps (something that's been done in Los Angeles along with other cool measures to try to bring healthy food to low income families rather than preach at them to somehow try to obtain it) and other means of getting nourishing healthy food to children, rather than worrying about how many pounds they weigh.
Yes! Similar things have been implemented in NYC, too, but we still have the obnoxious "stop obesity!" stuff as well. My thought is, putting farm stands outside the projects, having farm stands and CSAs accept WIC and food stamps, and things like that are good. Banning school bake sales and putting ads in the subway with globs of fat pouring out of soda cans are not.
I have been following the blog for a few months but this is my first comment. I wanted to say how very impressed I was by Kirstie Alley. I never liked her, not even as a slim Vulcan, but as someone who is 60 and probably weighs about the same, I loved seeing her dance (on Youtube also…). Indeed, people carry their weight differently, and she carries it fabulously. (I can't even imagine putting those shoes on my feet.)
But I also want to congratulate Lesley on her analysis of the First Lady's misguided comments on the "obesity epidemic." Thanks to this mania, I can't look at any health magazine or article without being told that obesity either causes or results from every ill in the body or the body politic, or if possible both. Your first article was good, and this is better because dead clear about what is going on. One upper-class mother's neurosis about her kids' weight is being projected on the whole country. I like Michelle Obama but I think she should take up redecorating the White House.
I completely agree about Gwen Stefani. And I remember Angelfish. I was totally jealous of Manson's perfect bangs back then.
Lesley, all this was fabulous, as usual. I always like your reasonable, well-thought-out analysis of these sorts of things.
Back in her early days, I always thought of Gwen Stefani as this cool, kick-ass, strong girl. She had muscles, she got sweaty and it was great for me to see someone who wasn't itty-bitty on stage. It was disheartening to read in later interviews about how much she didn't like that body and then watch her turn herself into "the ideal" thin, blonde girl I guess she always wanted to be. I can only imagine the pressure at that level of celebrity, but yeah, I'm still disappointed. (I won't even get into how I felt when she started hauling around 4 Japanese girls as her pets/props).
I get the love/hate thing with Kirstie Alley because I have it too! Like Gwen, I'm sure the pressure is enormous. She's made a lot of mistakes publicly, but they are many of the same mistakes I've made, so maybe that's why I'm somewhat sympathetic. But I LOVE her in this dance. She is elegant, has fun and shakes it hard. Go, Kirstie!
After nearly 2 years of reading your work, I've finally worked up the courage to comment. And if I am derailing in ANY way, please delete this!
I'm wondering about your reference to food deserts. Though it is incredibly risky and ignorant to assume, I trust your intentions when mentioning food deserts were along the lines of highlighting the fundamental flaws in Let's Move (as you mentioned, relying on small changes in every day life). However, I think the problem with using words like "food desert" is that we may be wading in policing territory. Some people prefer to live in food deserts. I know its a fine line between genuine care and concern for society and "butting in". I struggle with this topic constantly–wanting to provide access, resources and education without infringing on the right to privacy and autonomy.
I grew up on the north side of St. Louis, surrounded by working class Midwestern folk. Our closest food options came from a Churches Chicken, White Castle, Del Taco and a whole host of bodegas. Chain grocery stores were available, but by car. Fast forward a couple years and I ended up becoming an ethical vegan, now living in Chicago; a member/owner of the local co-op (roughly 2 city blocks from my front door) with a little plot in the community garden behind my apartment. And when my mother comes to visit me do you know what she says? "There's nothing to eat around here!"
Food deserts are in the eye of the beholder. To my family, my cute little gentrified neighborhood chalked full of bodegas, produce stands, smaller grocery stores. a co-ops and gardens would most definitely qualify as a food dessert: a place without "good" food. In my opinion, the term 'food desert' is so loaded and dripping with liberal guilt and classism, I can't find situations where the dialogue around them doesn't come off as I Know What's Good For You, No Really I Do.
My mom likes McDonald's for breakfast. I like tofu scramble. Neither one of us is wrong, even if McDonalds is the first type of food she has access to. Isn't dictating what is and isn't good (access to) food, even in the example of food deserts another form of body-policing?
Great post, I totally agree with what you say. I have the same love/hate relationship with Kirstie Alley, mostly hate, that being said I did watch Dancing last week and she was awesome — she is 60, a real size woman, and out there moving it and moving it sexy. Then she talks and the crazy comes out, however.
Michelle Obama disappoints me, she has become another lame timid first lady, her biggest headlines are fashion, and yes her "issue" targets fat kids. What about healthy eating and movement for everyone?
One of the reasons I enjoy watching Dancing With the Stars is the way it can reverse and challenge stereotypes like with Kirstie Alley. (And the only dance that beat hers was performed by a 49-year-old, not one of the younguns.) Yeah, in general the younger, more athletic people have an edge (particularly ice skaters/dancers, it seems, however hard they insist it's very different from dancing.) At the same time, many of the most stilted dances I can remember have come from the models and Playboy bunnies. There isn't a fatter celebrity in every season, but there have been several and often they have often done well not just with the physical component, but with the acting and charming the crowds aspect.
Not only am I saddened that the direction Michelle Obama's campaign has taken is far from ideal, but also that the issues related to this have ended up being First Lady busywork instead of serious presidential work, which is what tackling the entrenched crop subsidy system and other related issues would require. That's among the kind of change I personally was hoping for a few years ago. :-<
Holy shit! Fat people can DANCE?!
Agree wholeheartedly re: your rant against Obama's "war on childhood obesity." It *pisses* me off.
Lesley, ever since I read this, I have had a voice (the one that passes for yours, I guess, in my head) saying " people telling me that I can't possibly be that fat. But I can!"
It is a good voice and it makes me laugh. Sometimes very inappropriately, in public, while flicking through racks of ugly clothes for tall skinny people. There's something so totally, wonderfully liberating about your response to people's moronic comments – "But I can!" – it's the exclamation point that does it.
"But I can!" is like the anti-bodyshame. i love it – and you, and this blog.
While we're on the subject of Kirstie Alley – any chance of those recaps? 😉


text:
Headed Home
Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end and our Spring Training trip is no different. The Redbirds traveling party disbanded this morning with the important people (President/GM Dave Chase and President Bill Harter) leaving first thing this morning and the not quite as important people (Broadcaster Steve Selby and myself) sitting in the Palm Beach Airport right now waiting to fly back to Memphis. (Side note: the trip is already off to a great start as they just announced our flight is delayed by nearly an hour.)
The last day of the Spring Training trip is always a little bittersweet. First, you don't want to leave the baseball behind and second, no one wants to leave the sun and the fun of southern Florida. But the end of the trip always comes with a silver lining, especially this year. Baseball at AutoZone Park is only one week away with the 'Birds and Cards kicking off the 10th season of AZP next Friday at 7:05.
I will say one thing about this trip, it has made me more excited for the 2009 season than any other since I started working for the Redbirds in 2005. There are still a few roster spots to be determined but even with those spots still up in the air the 'Birds Opening Day Roster is going to be packed with young talent. The pitching staff will arguably be one of the best in the Pacific Coast League with the majority of last season's rotation and part of the bullpen returning. Memphis posted the best ERA in the league last season and will be a serious threat to do it again. With Mitchell Boggs, P.J. Walters, Clayton Mortensen, Jess Todd and Blake Hawksworth penciled in as the starting five it should help what could potentially be a really young bullpen. There are no big boppers for the offense this year with David Freese looking more and more like he'll be in St. Louis with each passing day. So look for a little more running on the basepaths and a lot more small ball this year…at least to start the season.
We'll see you at the yard.
2 Comments
Thanks for the update…this is going to be an exciting year for the Cardinals and the Redbirds.
I do have a question. I am coming in town for the two exhibition games next weekend. How early does the ballpark open for those games? I could not find that information on Redbirds website. Thanks!
Hope this reaches you in time. I contacted a friend of mine on the Cardinal board at FanHome.com who lives in Memphis. He called the Redbirds and got the following information for you –
I hadn't heard, but I just called The Redbirds office.
They said that they will open today at 5PM and tomorrow at 11AM. Two hours before the games.
I think it is 1 hour during regular season.
Hope you have fun this weekend and take plenty of pics.
IF you do, I'd love to have you upload them to our Cardinal Bio section at FanHome.
-Mike Hobson

subset: commoncrawl


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A new sniff-sensing device designed in Israel may help the severely paralyzed to communicate, surf the Net and steer their wheelchairs.
Sniffing is a precise motor skill that is controlled partly by the soft palate, which in turn is controlled by several nerves that connect directly through the braincase.
A stroke patient locked into her body for seven months unable to move or communicate was able to write an email to her family using a new device developed in Israel that allows severely disabled people to communicate and steer a wheelchair by sniffing.
The revolutionary new device identifies changes in air pressure inside the nostrils and translates these into electrical signals which can then be used either to write messages or to move a wheelchair.
"The most stirring tests were those we did with locked-in syndrome patients. These are people with unimpaired cognitive function who are completely paralyzed - 'locked into' their bodies," says Prof. Noam Sobel of the Weizmann Institute, who developed the device. "With the new system, they were able to communicate with family members, and even initiate communication with the outside. Some wrote poignant messages to their loved ones, sharing with them, for the first time in a very long time, their thoughts and feelings."
Ability to sniff is preserved
Sniffing is a precise motor skill that is controlled, in part, by the soft palate - the flexible divider that moves to direct air in or out through the mouth or nose. The soft palate is controlled by several nerves that connect to it directly through the braincase. This close link led Sobel and his scientific team to theorize that the ability to sniff - that is, to control soft palate movement - might be preserved even in the most acute cases of paralysis.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) added support to the idea, showing that a number of brain areas contribute to soft palate control. This imaging revealed a significant overlap between soft palate control and the language areas of the brain, hinting to the scientists that the use of sniffing to communicate might be learned intuitively.
To test their theory, Sobel and his team, Dr. Anton Plotkin, Aharon Weissbrod and research student Lee Sela from the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department, created a device with a sensor that fits on the opening of the nostrils and measures changes in air pressure.
For patients on respirators, the team developed a passive version of the device, which diverts airflow to the patient's nostrils.
Initial tests, carried out with healthy volunteers, showed that the device compared favorably with a mouse or joystick for playing computer games. In the next stage, carried out in collaboration with Prof. Nachum Soroker of Loewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center in Ra'anana, quadriplegics and locked-in patients tested the device.
The team found that the method of use is easily mastered, both by healthy volunteers and the disabled. Seventy-five percent of the subjects on respirators were able to control their soft palate movement to operate the device.
Simple to learn, cheap to produce
One patient who had been locked into his body after a traffic accident 18 years ago, wrote that the new device was much easier to use than one based on blinking. Another 10 patients, all quadriplegics, succeeded in operating a computer and writing messages through sniffing.
In addition to communication, the device can function as a steering mechanism for wheelchairs: Two successive sniffs tell it to go forward, two out mean reverse, out and then in turn it left, and in and out turn it right. After 15 minutes of practice, the researchers found that a patient paralyzed from the neck down could navigate a wheelchair through a complex route - sharp turns and all - as well as a non-disabled volunteer.
Sniffs can be in or out, strong or shallow, long or short; and this gives the device's developers the opportunity to create a complex 'language' with multiple signals.
Now Yeda Research and Development Company, the Weizmann's technology transfer arm, is exploring the possibility of commercializing the technology, which is not only simple to learn, but also relatively inexpensive to produce.
In future, Sobel, who has been involved in numerous studies related to the sense of smell, believes that this invention could also be useful in other areas, for instance as a control for a 'third arm' for surgeons and pilots.


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-Rock solid construction (All metal & FRP)
-Steel gears and steel tooth rack on the piston
-Always stops the gears in the right position
-Proper three round burst
-Stops firing after the last round
-A bit too heavy
-Limited magazine capacity for skirmishers
Systema is expanding the PTW line-up from the M4/M16 series to the PTW5, and the PTW5-A4 is a very fine electric gun as expected. Full of technological advancements in the mechanism, the PTW5 is also stronger and more realistic on the outside.
As we all know, weapons development makes the biggest leaps right before and during wars. While individually not as powerful as the nuclear weaponry developed during World War II, the submachine gun from the first big fight has spread worldwide and made significant changes to combat tactics on a smaller scale everywhere. It has left direct offspring behind such as the PDW (Personal Defence Weapon) weapon type, and the combat use of the SMG provided valuable ideas that led to the development of the assault rifle in the 40's.
Even though the idea of shooting pistol cartridges with a short rifle-like weapon seems obvious afterwards, it wasn't until 1918 when the first submachine gun to enter service was seen: The Italian Beretta Model 1918. A few weeks later Germans adopted the Bergmann MP18, which was the first one to see actual combat. Many American historians would argue that the Thompson submachine gun was the first project to be started out of the three, and for this reason should be titled "the first".
The first experiments were made by adding a stock and larger magazine to a pistol. Some models were converted to have the ability of full auto fire. The stock helped to point the weapon better, and to provide stability during rapid fire. A 32 round "snail" magazine was developed for the Luger P08 pistol. Adding accessories to a pistol not designed for this use led to a result of compromises, but they were promising so the design was continued to create a weapons family of its own. The barrel length was increased not that much for accuracy, but to gain a higher muzzle velocity from the relatively low-powered pistol cartridge. Finally the weapons were robust and compact, and were ready to be used as "trench brooms".
After World War I during the 20's and 30's, many countries developed their own submachine guns. The French designed the MAS-38, the Germans developed the MP18 further into the MP28/II and MP38, the Brits initially copied the MP28 and called it Lanchester, but proceeded then to develop the cheaper STEN. The Finns used a design of their own, the M31 to deflect the Soviet invasion. Meanwhile in America, the Thompson SMG had undergone some modifications and gained a notorious reputation in the hands of gangsters. The submachine gun had found its users, but there was still an advancement on the way...
In 1964, a group of German engineers at Heckler & Koch started to work on a new weapon in the HK54 weapons family. Initially called "Project 64", the MP5 (Maschinen Pistole) entered production in 1966. It was adopted by the German border police as well as the Swiss police the same year. While "Maschinen Pistole" would literally translate to "machine pistol" in English, the pair of words have a different meaning. Machine pistol means a fully automatic pistol such as the Glock 18C, but Maschinen Pistole in the German language actually means what we English speakers call a submachine gun.
Unlike virtually all of the other SMGs up to then, the MP5 had quite a few ingenious features, that made it an instant hit and secured success for decades to come. First, it fires from a closed bolt, which means that a loaded weapon has the bolt forward and a round chambered. Upon pulling the trigger, a hammer falls and ignites the primer. This results in a far better first shot accuracy compared to the traditional open bolt designs, where pulling the trigger releases the heavy bolt from the cocked position, which chambers the round and ignites it.
Another unique feature of the MP5 is that the bolt weight is drastically reduced, thanks to the downscaled roller-delayed bolt system derived from the G3 rifle family. Normally SMGs simply have a heavy enough bolt to resist the recoil and pressure from the cartridge, but the roller-delayer allows for much lighter moving parts.
The MP5 was indeed an instant hit and has become an icon-like weapon in movies and games. While many military organizations have moved away from the 9 mm pistol cartridge to shorter assault rifles with a more powerful cartridge, the MP5 is still widely seen in Law-Enforcement and special operations use.
Being a popular and famous weapon in actual use as well as movies, it was no wonder that the MP5 has been one of the essential long arms (as opposed to handguns) to include in the line-up. Various spring and gas operated models have been produced to capture the feeling of an MP5, and even the real firearms industry produces MP5 look-a-likes in various calibers to capitalize on the easily recognized shape. But back to airsoft guns. Tokyo Marui didn't hesitate to produce the MP5 family as an AEG in the early 90's, but the stage of development was not that far at that point and it can still be seen in the AEG models of the MP5.
The receiver of traditional AEG MP5 models is a lightweight plastic shell produced from two halves like a clamshell, and it is common for the receiver halves to leave an ugly gap to reveal the toyish nature of the model, as well as make the magazine fit loosely and rattle sideways. The cocking tube attachment isn't that strong and a frequent point of breaking. Although this has been updated in the Tokyo Marui HG versions, MP5s with metal receivers still suffer from this weak point. The inner barrel runs loose under the cocking tube, and has no solid support after the steel collar right in front of the receiver. In the worst case, the cocking tube can affect the natural direction of the barrel and wreak havoc on accuracy.
Previous AEG models represent almost the entire selection of MP5 models, but none of them have the distinct Burst feature added (beyond cosmetics such as on the TM MP5J). As such, the models sold as Tokyo Marui MP5A5 and A4 for example should actually be called the A3 and A2 despite the pictogram trigger group, because they lack the Burst!
The idea of producing a PTW5 dawned on Systema three years ago. As the PTW M4/M16 series have evolved and refined, it is only natural development to look at other models to produce, and this new SMG is a rather obvious choice. Other electric airsoft models are built around the old gearbox design with a receiver structure from the early 90's and don't have a burst feature, so there really is a gap to fill.
An airsoft gun can be designed from the inside outwards, or the other way around. When you already have an excellent mechanism to shoot BBs, you can focus on the outside. As many "rough" players have found out, the AEG MP5 models are prone to snapping in two in the area where the cocking tube and receiver meet. It is the only structure supporting the front of the weapon, with no outer barrel. What Systema has done with the PTW5 receiver is like taking two birds with one stone: The whole receiver is one solid block of metal. The cocking tube is naturally also one piece with the receiver, and the material thickness at the walls is strong. To add rigidity, a solid steel outer barrel is slid into the receiver from the front, and locked in place with four screws. The cocking tube and outer barrel are connected in the front by the front sight, which adds the final touch to help these parts support each other.
Looking at the beautifully machined outer barrel, it almost feels shameful to cover it entirely with the handguard. But of course you need something to hold on to, so on it goes. The front handguard is constructed from fiberglass reinforced polymer, and as such it it closer to a real gun part than the toyish plastic part of old AEG MP5s. Actually the Systema PTW5 handguard feels so solid that we would be confident to put it on a real weapon for real use. The dimensions are true to the real thing, so it would fit for sure.
Behind the receiver we find a solid stock to house the battery. It is the same FRP material as the handguard and made into one piece, so there are no connection studs and such to take up space inside: Every cubic inch is available for the battery, to make sure you don't run out of juice. The rubber butt plate doesn't snap off like on others, so you don't need to worry about the butt plate falling off and getting lost in the bushes. It takes a bit of fingernails to work around the plate and remove it, but no tools are required.
The trigger group is also a one-piece FRP part, with all the markings - and functions - found on the real one. The pictogram with three bullets isn't just for show! The grip is slim and exactly the size of the real grip, thanks to the flat motor derived from PTW technology. The selector turns correctly around the center axis, instead of being offset like on all AEGs.
The Systema PTW5 looks and feels great and is rock solid on the outside, but what do we find under the surface? As already mentioned, the motor is a PTW style flat design to keep the grip small, so let's get to the gears! The trigger group of the MP5 is more generous in terms of space, so the PTW M4/M16 type planetary gear system has not been adopted. Instead, the gears resemble the AEG upgrade gears produced by Systema, but are not the same part. For example the sector gear is free of the cut-off cam and tappet plate nub, but instead is made to be easy to detect for the optic sensor of the circuitry. On the sides of the gear train, a coupling gear has been added to transfer the selector lever movement to the other side for ambidextrous use. This approach allowed to mount the selector lever axle in the center, so it actually rotates around the correct axis.
The movement of the gears is "sniffed" by an optical sensor, which is linked to a micro chip that controls the shooting cycle via high power MOSFETs. No matter if you are shooting on semi, burst or full auto, releasing the trigger will tell the chip to stop shooting after that cycle is finished. With the selector set on semi or burst, the chip will simply stop the cycle even if you continue to keep the trigger pulled - but even the quickest tap on the trigger will finish one cycle at least. The burst works correctly like on the real MP5, which means that if you release the trigger before the burst is finished, the gun will stop firing, instead of stubbornly shooting all three shots with one tap of the trigger.
From the gears the energy is transfered to the piston. The entirely cylinder unit is actually similar to the unit we have come to love in the PTW M4/M16 series, just with a different shape on the outside to fit the PTW5 receiver. This means that the piston body size is reduced along with the spring (and spring guide) size, to allow more room for a stronger tooth rack. The tooth rack is all steel made, and sits securely in a captive slot on the underside of the polymer piston. The piston body is solid all the way around, so it is stronger than traditional AEG pistons with an all metal tooth rack.
When the sector gear pulls the piston back, the nozzle remains attached to the piston head for a while, moving back and allowing a BB to move up to the feeding line. As the piston retreats further, the spring-loaded piston head stays behind for a while to keep the nozzle back a little longer, until the O-ring inside the piston head lets go of the nozzle. Then the respective springs push the nozzle to the front chambering the BB, while the piston head is pulled back against the front face of the piston body. The piston is released, shooting the BB out, and the mechanism is reset for the next shot. This all happens in a fraction of a second, and you can shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger.
Included with each PTW5 is a regular type magazine. It has a stamped and spot-welded steel exterior with blued finish, and it looks and feels just like a real magazine. If it weren't for the lack of feeding lips, we could have thought it is an actual magazine to feed 9x19 rounds! These magazines will be sure to withstand rough handling, and hold 40 BBs each. The amount may sound small, but we are sure MilSim players will be happy to underload these to 30 rounds, as is the real capacity. The magazine feeds each and every round thanks to the extended follower, so out of the 40 BBs the magazine will feed 40. When you remove a magazine from the PTW5 with rounds still in it, you will lose one BB, which is an improvement over the four BBs you lose when you do the same with an AEG.
The top of the magazine towards the rear shows an interesting feature, which is of course standard on PTW models but still not found on any other AEG: When the last BB is fed, a stud protrudes from the rear of the magazine, and activates a microswitch inside the magazine well. This makes the PTW5 stop firing until you reload. While not found in the prototype we used in the video, the feature will be added to the production version.
Despite being a new model, the markets are already saturated with accessories to "tacticalize" your PTW5. Thanks to the real dimensions, most real steel accessories will be a direct fit. The muzzle is attached to the outer barrel with a thread, and a threaded part to attach a silencer will be available from RedWolf as soon as the PTW5 is officially released. To attach any scope on the weapon, we found that the G&G L.P.M for G3/MP5 Series [G-03-031] was a direct fit to the PTW5 with zero modifications!
Systema decided to release the PTW5-A4 as an M90 version now, but the mechanism allows for a far higher tension spring to be used later on. The heat-treated steel gears, all steel tooth rack on the piston, high torque motor and computer controlled FET unit allow to adjust the power simply by choosing the right battery for the spring of your choice. Up to a 12 V 2400 mAh battery can be fitted in the solid stock as standard. Out of the box, our test unit produced velocities slightly above 320 fps with a high of 325 fps with 0.2 gram BBs. This complies precisely to the 0.98 joule energy limit that has been enforced in Japan for some time now, and is perfect for CQB and up to medium range engagements outdoors.
The inner barrel has a 6.04 mm bore as now is the standard for all PTW models, and the outer diameter is a whopping 10 mm compared to the 8.5 mm of typical AEGs. The inner barrel is fitted accurately to the outer barrel with a minimal clearance, to further reduce resonance. In our accuracy tests the MP5 was repeatedly capable of groupings below 100 mm (4") from 20 meters (65'), and the smallest grouping of 37 mm was achieved from 10 meters.
For understandable reasons, we have not had the chance to take the Systema PTW5-A4 out for a skirmish just yet, but based on the experience gained with the one we tested, it should be very effective in MilSim fields. As the other PTW models, it is not designed to be a BB hose to be fired continuously for hundreds of rounds, so maybe the hardcore speedballers will still look for a lightweight MP5 to equip with a drum magazine. For other uses, the PTW is a really exiting new way of replicating the MP5, and thanks to the robustness could be described as something between the blue training dummy and the real working firearm. Sure it doesn't shoot a 9 mm piece of lead and copper at 400 m/s, but it looks and feels very much like it could!
RedWolf Airsoft is the official distributor for Systema in Asia, UK and parts of Europe. The Systema PTW5 is available for Pre-Order with FREE SHIPPING. Click here to ensure you're in line to get yours!


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I walked into Recruit Separation Platoon on October 23rd 2009. As always I barely had any idea of what was going on while being at Parris Island. RSP consists of a Squad bay in the main receiving building on Parris Island. When you enter RSP you hand over most of your military equipment because you don't need it anymore. I turned in all my digital camouflage. I was assigned to rack 89 which was right next to the drill instructor house. I was given a pair of dull green sweatpants and matching sweat shirt. I was also given a glow strap and war belt. (belt that holds two canteens). I then filled out paperwork at the tables next to the scribe desk. I filled out general information about myself and where the closest Greyhound bus station was to my house. Still being somewhat new to Parris Island I was shaky on all the rules and proper way to act. When you are in RSP you are still considered a recruit and you need to conduct yourself as such. Many new recruits who enter RSP don't comprehend this very well.
The Standard day in RSP consists of waking up at 5:00 AM. We all then line up in front of our racks and count off. If we mess up we start over. We are then instructed to start "hygiene". Morning hygiene is supposed to consist of brushing your teeth and shaving. However many recruits would skip the shave because while I was at RSP for my two and a half weeks we only had hygiene inspection twice. Racks are also supposed to be made "tight" in the morning. This means you need to make your bed in the marine fashion. 45 degree corners on the sheets at the head of the bed and 45 degree corners at the end of the rack on the green wool blanket. Lastly the sheet needs to be folded down from the head 18 inches. My rack looked like crap for the first few days and then I started to get the hang of it. After everyone finishes hygiene and making their racks we line up for chow. Everyone puts on their war belt and glow strap ( yellow reflective strap that goes from left shoulder to right hip.) Then we go next door to line up at the back hatch in the PEB (Physical Evaluation Board) squad bay. PEB recruits are recruits who become seriously injured and are also working on getting home except their paperwork goes to D.C. and takes them about 2-4 months (guess) to get home. We line up in columns of two in front of that hatch on average there was about 90 to 100 recruits at one time including PEB recruits. (80 RSP – 20 PEB) We would wait for a bus or two to come pick us up to bring us to chow hall. The Waiting factor in RSP is what makes you crazy and feel like you are there for an eternity. My guess is that we would be waiting in line for up 30 – 45 minutes. We all then would get on the Bus and "crush it". crushing it consists of interlocking legs and pushing down towards the end of the bus in order to fit the most recruits possible. The busses had Plexiglas windows that were very scratched. They also had benches in the middle and edges that were parallel to the bus.
When we arrive at the chow hall we get off the bus and get into a formation of 4 columns with the 4 squad leaders at the front facing their line. We then will file ourselves off one column at a time into the chow hall. We then would usually wait in line at the chow hall for 15- 40 minutes for chow to be ready. The etiquette for getting chow is pretty simple. The guide will instruct the next 3 rows (6 recruits) to detach out ever 2 minutes or so. You will then get chow and place it at a table. Then you go up and get your drink. After chow we will head back to the squad bay and count off again. The drill instructor would then instruct us to "turn to cleanup" cleanup consists of all the RSP recruits getting cleaning equipment ( brooms, scuzz brushes, metal polish, cleaning spray, dust pans, and others.) The recruits then split up making sure they all have their war belt and glow strap on. Recruits can leave the squad bay and clean around the whole building. Cleaning will take anywhere from 15 minutes to and hour. After we finished cleaning we would head back to the RSP squad bay and sit on our foot lockers. If we have been following the rules then we will "turn to free time" If not we sit on the quarterdeck. During free time we were allowed to read, write letters, and talk quietly. During my first few days I would talk to recruits to figure out what was going on and what was going to happen. Here is what I learned
The recruit who enters RSP is only supposed to be in RSP for 7 to 10 business days once they have been cleared by medical.
A "sleep over" is a recruit in RSP who cannot go down to be cleared by medical because his medical records have not reached the medical building yet.
I was a sleep over for one week. I got cleared by medical on November 2nd. After you get cleared by medical you can try to calm down because you are pretty much going to be going home no later than 2 weeks.
After morning free time the whole process starts over again. We go to chow, come back, clean, free time, go to chow, clean , and have free time again.
About an hour before we go to bed we will do evening hygiene. Evening hygiene consists of brushing teeth, shaving and taking a shower. We would then count off and hit the rack at 8 pm as the 5 fire watch recruits are called.
One of the most depressing things about being in RSP is fire watch. I hated being woken up at 11 or 1 in the morning to stand at a post with a flashlight for an hour. You simply stand there and think "Wow it really sucks to be waiting around here like this". We then will wake up at 5 am and the day starts over again.
I left on November 10th I was pretty relieved to finally put my civilian clothes on after wearing sweat pants for two and a half weeks.
There is barely any information on the Recruit Separation Platoon online. I am hoping this information helps anyone who is thinking about enlisting who wishes to get the most information they can about the US Marine corps .
Source: James Douglas


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Unilever is committed to accessibility, diversity and inclusion, as well as sustainable approaches to each of these important issues. We believe all of our consumers and visitors should be able to access our websites, and we strive simultaneously to provide a visually rich user experience.
For those users who need it, our goal is to facilitate access to our websites using assistive technologies, such as a screen reader, text to speech or speech recognition software, screen magnifier, and/or keyboard emulators.
All pages use valid, structured, semantic HTML5. Visual styling is provided by Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and enhanced user interaction is provided by JavaScript.
Unilever consistently strives to ensure compliance with applicable laws and guidelines that relate to web accessibility and follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in cooperation with individuals and organizations around the world. Read more information about WCAG 2.0 recommendations.
We make every effort to build the web pages to meet or exceed Level "AA" WCAG 2.0 compliance. The WCAG 2.0 Level AA are recognized and acknowledged as the international standard. We work with our vendor and refer to recommendations from advocacy groups as well as relevant publications and other materials by specialists to improve, on a continuing basis and as much as practically possible, the experience for users with disabilities.
We are always learning, and our websites are constantly being updated with new content; we regularly review our websites for WCAG compliance and work to make any necessary corrections and fixes.
Below are some of the items we have implemented to ensure our web pages are as easy as possible to navigate for all users:
Our webpage layouts are structured for easy navigation for individuals using a screen reader. We use semantic HTML5 with appropriate tags to distinguish content headings, sections, listings, tables, and other formatting features so that guests can easily and consistently use the website with assistive technology.
Wherever images appear on our webpages, a text-based alternative is provided for screen readers to read the alternate text content.
Many of our webpages contain audio and video contents, and wherever it is feasible we provide a text-based alternative, including captions and transcripts.
Our webpages are often rich with content, images and functionality. We strive to keep the colour contrasts as per WCAG recommendations wherever feasible.
Most modern browsers support page zooming functionality, to allow users to increase or decrease the size of the page content without loss of content or function. Our webpages are optimized to use the browser zoom functionality. Users will be able to zoom-in or zoom-out for most part of the webpages./p>
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In the wake of the gruesome beheading of American journalist, James Wright Foley, it is important to remember that the growing threat of radical Islam is very real.
Next month will mark 13 years since the tragic terror attacks on September 11th, 2001 as well as two years since the attacks in Benghazi. Evil is real and the threat of terrorism exists.
With growing unrest in the Middle East as well as other international crises, it is imperative that we are active in our efforts to combat these threats and to send a message that America is truly exceptional.
Since 2003, student activists at more than 200 schools across the country participate in Young America's Foundation's 9/11 Never Forget Project each year. The students proudly display 3,000 flags on their campuses in order to remember the innocent people that were murdered at the hands of radical Islamists. This project is designed to create awareness and to show the world what makes America great is our resilience.
This millennial generation is a generation that weathered the tragedy of September 11, but refuses to be defined by it. Many college-age students today were around seven years old on September 11, 2001 and the reality of that day had a very real impact. We need to remember 9/11 for what it was, an act of terror by radical militants who hate America. If we allow people to forget what happened, the radical Islamists win.
During a time when our country has become so politically correct it is hard to find campuses that have their own 9/11 memorial services let alone any projects that commemorate the American lives lost. The misrepresentation of 9/11 does not do justice to the significance of that day.
If it weren't for young conservative activists 9/11 would pass by unnoticed by most students on college and high school campuses nationwide. Schools largely ignored the anniversary of 9/11 and even worse some professors blame America for the attacks. The Obama administration has even tried to change the meaning of 9/11 by turning the anniversary into a politically correct "national day of service". They would likes us to forget not just the nature of the attacks, but how the Left denounced our country just days after when many Americans were coming together in community to showcase their patriotism.
Our country, now more than ever, is in desperate need of leadership. We have a President who consistently leads from behind when it comes to foreign policy. It is the brave men and women who are willing to take a stand for freedom that are truly leading by example.
They cannot silence us, they will not win, and America will continue to be the shining city upon the hill as President Reagan once said. May we never forget and may we never stop fighting for justice. We will not be defeated, we will stand up, and we will continue defend freedom in the face of evil.


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Just days after being hit with an indefinite suspension by MSNBC for violating company policy in regards to political donations, "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann will be reinstated Tuesday evening, reports CNN.
Olbermann was removed from the air November 5 after Politico broke news that he had donated to three Democratic candidates running for federal office.
"After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night's program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night," said Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC.
U.S. & World
The "Countdown" talker gave the maximum indvidual amount allowed by law - $2,400 - to the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway, and Arizona representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrille Giffords. Conway lost to Tea Party favorite Rand Paul, while both Grijalva and Giffords won reelection by slim margins.
Olbermann violated an NBC policy that requires employees of the news organization to get prior permission before engaging in political activities or making donations to candidates because of potential conflicts of interest.
Olbermann made his first public statement since the suspension via Twitter on Sunday evening, writing ,"Greetings from Exile! A quick, overwhelmed, stunned THANK YOU for support that feels like a global hug & obviously left me tweetless XO."
Selected Reading: CNN, EW, The Upshot


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Providing Information All Things Homely Paris – August 31st, 2019 – A new website has opened to give you all of the information that you need to make your house a
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Ovation Legend 2077 AX Deep Contour Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Product H70304
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Ovation AX Series Guitars offer the exact same specs and features of their LX siblings at a price that makes them exceptional values.The Ovation Lege...Click To Read More About This Product
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Extraordinary sonic flexibility at a streamlined price.
Ovation AX Series Guitars offer the exact same specs and features of their LX siblings at a price that makes them exceptional values.
The Ovation Legend 2077 AX Deep Contour Acoustic-Electric Guitar features a hand-selected, deluxe AA solid-spruce top with LX scalloped bracing. The guitar's Deep Contour Bowl composite body maximizes acoustic output and is ergonomically designed for comfort in any playing position. A cutaway offers full access to the gloss-finished, 5-piece mahogany/maple neck, and the traditional center soundhole is inlaid with an oak-leaf rosette and adorned with mother-of-pearl. With its onboard compressor, the OP-Pro Studio preamp enhances strummed chords, fingerpicked arpeggios, and single-note solos.
Deep Bowl
Ovation's Deep Bowl body generates maximum unamplified volume and enormous low end, yet it's easier to hold and play then a traditional jumbo-body guitar. Models sporting Deep Bowl bodies also perform impressively when plugged in, thanks to Ovation's advanced onboard electronics. A "sonic cannon" that shines either unplugged or through a sound system or stage amp, a Deep Bowl Ovation offers the best of both electric and acoustic worlds.
Advanced Neck System
A lightweight dual-action truss rod makes precision adjustments simple. Carbon fiber stabilizers keep the fingerboard perfectly aligned at the neck/body joint.
OP-Pro Studio
The ccombines state-of-the-art audio quality with exclusive features designed to meet the needs of professional guitarists. The easy-to-operate unit offers 3-band EQ, exciter and compressor/limiter circuitry, and a chromatic tuner. Ovation's exclusive Expressor and Drive sliders put dynamic control and harmonic enhancement at your fingertips, allowing you to dial in the precise amount of sustain and punch required by the music.
The Op-Pro Preamp is voiced to give you arena-sized sound with a minimum of eq gymnastics. Every improvement comes directly from the needs of pro players and sound.
Patented Pickup
Six separate elements sense both string and top vibration, giving you a better string-to-string balance, no matter what string type or guage you use.
Inlaid Epaulets
The exotic wood leaf-shaped "epaulets" are now inlaid into the top with laser precision. The new cleaner design actually offers a slight sound enhancement.
Scalloped Bracing
Play an LX and prepare to be impressed by the hugeness of the acoustic sound. Deeper, richer but with the legendary Ovation balance and clarity.
Lyrachord Body
The smooth, hard composite Lyrachord GS body improves projection and reflects top vibrations better than traditional material and is now even lighter and stronger. Includes case.
- Description: 6-String Acoustic/Electric
- Body Type: Deep Contour
- Top: AA Grade Solid Sitka Spruce
- Bracing: Scalloped LX
- Fretboard: Bound Ebony
- Fret Inlay: Diamond Shape
- Bridge: Bound Ebony
- Rosette: Inlaid Oakleaf
- Pickup: Original Patented Pickup
- Nut width: 1-11/16"
- Machines: Ovation Gold
- Includes case


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The Simpsons
Our great range of Simpsons accessories and memorabilia is ideal for fans of the cult cartoon show. You could even have your own Homer cookie jar, or Homer novelty bottle opener or perhaps give someone special one of our Simpsons gift sets.
Each and every gift is official Simpsons merchandise and has been selected for its brilliant fun value.


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CULVER CITY (AP) — Californians could end up paying the highest gasoline taxes in the nation when a 3.5-cents-per-gallon increase kicks in this summer.
The state Board of Equalization voted Thursday to increase the excise tax from 36 cents to 39.5 cents per gallon on non-diesel fuel beginning with the new fiscal year July 1.
The change is expected to provide more than $500 million in revenue for the fiscal year, based on consumption figures. The diesel fuel tax will remain unchanged at 10 cents per gallon.
The excise tax is levied on gasoline suppliers but is often passed on to consumers. With the increase, a driver who travels 15,000 miles a year at 20 miles per gallon would pay about $26 in additional taxes.
When federal and other state taxes are added, Californians this summer could pay the highest gas tax in the nation, averaging more than 70 cents per gallon, according to petroleum industry figures. However, the board said in a statement Friday that it "cannot predict what the selling price of gasoline will be" on July 1.
The excise tax is the largest of the state taxes on gasoline. It was increased in 2010 under a change in gasoline tax laws to help close a nearly $20 billion state budget deficit.
At the time, state sales tax provided the lion's share of gas tax revenues, but that money funded local government programs, according to an equalization board statement. The excise tax funds state highway and mass transit projects.
By reducing the sales tax on gas from 8.25 percent to 2.25 percent and roughly doubling the excise tax, the state was able to provide more money to balance its budget without raising the overall gas tax rate.
Each year, the equalization board must reset the excise tax by March 1 to ensure that the state will receive the same amount of gas tax revenue as it would have received under the old system.
"The Legislature mandated that we equalize the sales and excise taxes to avoid a net increase in taxes," equalization board Chairman Jerome E. Horton said in a board statement on Friday. "We could protest the legislation and not make the rate adjustment, however we would be violating law and arguably exposing taxpayers to even higher taxes in the future."
In making its decision, the board looks at previous revenues along with current and projected future consumption and gas prices.
While consumption is down, slightly lowering excise tax revenues, increased prices meant the state would have collected more sales tax under the old system.
Gasoline consumption has consistently fallen each fiscal year since 2005 and was 14.6 billion gallons in the 2012 fiscal year. The decrease has reduced tax revenues, according to equalization board figures.
At the same time, the overall price of gas has soared.
Average gas prices in California jumped nearly 60 percent per gallon in the past month, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported. The average price of regular on Friday was $4.235 per gallon.
The tax hike was approved 3-2 by equalization board members Jerome Horton, Betty Yee and John Chiang. George Runner and Michelle Steele voted against it.
"I cannot support a more than half a billion-dollar tax increase on struggling Californians who are already experiencing significant pain at the pump," Runner said in a statement.
Runner previously has proposed limiting gasoline sales and excise taxes, the Sacramento Bee reported (http://bit.ly/Z59N5A ).


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The Advantage Of Short Term Loans
Payday loans help you in the short term. If you continually struggle to pay your bills and don't have money set aside for an emergency, you may want to consider credit counseling or financial planning to help you manage your finances better.
The annualized interest rate on a payday loan can be high. These loans have a short life span, therefore, the loan's actual cost might be worth it as a short term financial solution. If a payday loan saves you an NSF fee and/or allows you to make a payment on time it can save both money and your reputation with another lender.
This type of loan is usually smaller and is paid off on your next payday. The majority of payday loans span two weeks to coincide with your pay schedule. You can pay it off earlier or faster if you wish. Regulations are in place to allow you to cancel the loan without penalty or interest charges if you change your mind within two days of taking the loan.
How To Qualify
If a majority of your income is from self employment, it may be difficult getting a payday loan. Most payday lenders do not view self employment as reliable and might not approve you. If you work on your own, search online for companies that can give you a loan. Having a steady job is a good indication you will be accepted.
Before taking out one of these loans, give yourself ten minutes to think about it. Payday loans can come in handy when an unexpected expense arises that can not be put off. Be sure you are considering the situation rationally rather than reacting to the shock of the unexpected event.
You should only borrow from lenders willing to disclose their interest rates and fees. Beware of companies that won't disclose their fees and interest rates, because you can get burned! Only deal with lenders who are licensed in your area. Be sure to get copies of any agreement and never sign a document that has blank spaces.
Payday Loan Alternatives
A great alternative to payday loans is to ask your employer for a cash advance. If your employer will let you have an advance on your pay, you could save a bundle compared to the interest lenders charge on payday loans. Know your alternatives before considering payday loans.
Ask whether or not your lender will report this to the major credit agencies. Taking a payday loan is not going to improve your credit score, but failing to make your payments could have a negative influence on your credit score; always be sure you can comfortably meet the repayment deadline. If you understand what the terms are and are sure that you can comply with them, a payday loan can be very helpful.
Payday loans are subject to minimum net pay and other qualification requirements. Maximum charges permitted in Alberta and British Columbia for a payday loan: $23 per $100 lent (23% of the principal); We charge $20.00 (20%). For a $300 loan for 14 days: Total cost of borrowing $60.00 Annual percentage rate = 521.43%. This information meets the requirements of the Payday Loans Regulation under the Fair Trading Act. License #3306278.


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What Is the FAFSA? (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
And Why Is It Important?
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the form that students must file to be considered for federal financial aid – grants, loans and scholarship assistance to attend most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide. In addition, many states and the colleges themselves use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.
So you see, if you don't fill out the FAFSA, you could be missing out on A LOT of financial aid. Yet, some students think they shouldn't complete the FAFSA. Here are some of their reasons:
• "I (or my parents) make too much money, so I won't qualify for aid."
• "Only students with good grades get financial aid."
• The FAFSA is too hard to fill out."
• "I'm too old to quality for financial aid."
If you think any of these statements apply to you, then you should read Myths About Financial Aid. The reality is, EVERYONE should file the FAFSA!
In Indiana
You need to file your Indiana FAFSA by March 10 to be eligible for state aid. Completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes seen as being complicated and time consuming. But in one afternoon at College Goal Sunday Indiana, students and their families can get free help and file the form online! To find the College Goal Sunday site near you, go to College Goal Sunday Indiana Locations.
Click here to see what documents you'll want to take with you!
For some tips on filling out the FAFSA, like what financial information you need and how to get an FSA ID, check out Filling Out the FAFSA, so you and your parents are ready to attend College Goal Sunday Indiana on February 21, 2016.


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In the Anime Edit
Ash's Primeape Edit
Ash spotted a Mankey and tried to catch it but failed, angering the Mankey in the process. In retribution, it stole his cherished hat, angering Ash. Later, it evolved to Primeape thanks to Team Rocket. Primeape chased Team Rocket and Ash's group, and it eventually finished Team Rocket off. Ash and Pikachu fell into a hole trap dug by Team Rocket. Pikachu used Thundershock on Primeape and Team Rocket. After Squirtle and Bulbasaur failed to weaken it, Ash used Charmander and its newly learned Rage attack to finally weaken it. Ash used his Poké Ball and he successfully captured it.
Ash later thought of using Primeape in his gym battle against Erika, but due to its explosive temper and disobedience, he decided not to use it.
In order to reunite a girl and her training obsessed father, Anthony, Ash entered Primeape in the P1 Grand Prix, the same tournament he was entering. During the tournament, Ash saved Primeape from falling onto the hard floor after being thrown from the ring and in the process finally gained its respect. After winning the P1 Grand Prix, Ash left Primeape to train with Anthony to become a true P1 Champ.


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Digital 产品介绍ion
The Gnomon Work商城 offers the most comprehensive set of Digital 产品介绍ion tutorials anywhere. The broad scope of the tutorials contained in this section range from foundational understanding of the software tools all the way to the professional application of these tools and concepts used by artists working in the film and game industries.
Entertainment Design
The Gnomon Work商城 is widely regarded as the global leader in training tutorials for the designer working in the entertainment industry. With tutorials ranging from foundational drawing and design concepts to process tutorials from some of the top concept and character designers in the world, there is surely something here to inspire.
As the tattoo industry has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years, the need training in this field has also grown. In these video tutorials, some of the top tattoo artists in the world share their techniques and their take on the art of tattoo. The tutorials range from absolute beginner level to advanced color and blending techniques used by some of the world's best.
The Gnomon Work商城 offers professional training on most of the software applications used in today's digital pipelines. There are foundational titles to introduce users to the software and tools, as well as advanced 产品介绍ion titles that discuss application tools and processes vital to the 产品介绍ion of digital assets and media.
Professional Training for Artists
The Gnomon Work商城 seeks out the most highly-regarded traditional and digital artists and technicians currently working in the entertainment and design industries. Our instructors have shared their practices working at such top studios as Pixar, ILM, Blizzard, and many 更多.
Challenge:THE UPSIDE DOWN
Winner:Dave Wolf
Summer 2019 The Upside Down
Fall 2018 Chamber of Chain
August 2018 Rock Climbing Robot
July 2018 Floating Monument
July 2018 Firework Rocket Launcher
June 2018 Stylized Toy Battleship
June 2018 Robot Boredom
May 2018 A Daring Rescue
May 2018 Cosplay Emergency Kit
April 2018 S团队punk Style Bulletproof Vest
April 2018 The Devil's Throne
March 2018 Mercenary Futuristic Submarine
March 2018 Mercenary Space Ninja
February 2018 Alien Skull
February 2018 Possessed Carnival Rides
January 2018 Battle of te Old Vs The New Year
Each challenge is open to both 2D and 3D artists alike, and three winners will be selected. The first-place winner will receive a 12-month Gnomon Workshop Subscription. Contest Details
For more than a decade, we've hosted regular contests on the Gnomon Workshop forums, which have been home to many great artists and Workshoppers — and we've awarded over $100,000 worth of subscriptions to winners over the years!
As of Summer 2019, we've refreshed the Image Challenge and brought them over to Facebook to help reach many more artists and make the challenges much easier for you to fit into your daily activities. Join us! It's going to be a great chance to push your skills, meet other likeminded artists — and win some cool prizes.
Each challenge is open to both 2D and 3D artists alike, and three winners will be selected. The first-place winner will receive a 12-month Gnomon Workshop subscription (worth $490 USD), with a six-month subscription for second place, and a three-month subscription for third place. The Gnomon Workshop library contains over 300 lectures and over 1,000 hours of training by top professional artists around the world.
It's super simple: We'll provide a theme as inspiration to get you started with each challenge. Your task is to design and create your best artwork possible — which can be 2D, 3D, or a hybrid of both — and submit it here in this group feed before the deadline. Be sure to note the time of the deadline and convert to your timezone so you never miss out.
When submitting your final artwork, just tell us the following information:
Software used:
Date completed:
You're welcome to add some notes about your intentions, story, etc. but these are optional.
The judges, including Gnomon Workshop Founder Alex Alvarez, will select the top three once the deadline has passed. The winners will be announced in this group in a post and the winners will be contacted via private message. To claim a subscription prize, you'll just need to provide a working email address.
If you already have a subscription: It's okay! We will add more time to your account. So, if you have three months left of a one-year subscription, for example, and you win a second-place prize, we'll add six months to your current subscription.
We want these challenges to be fun, not a brutal competition. We love to see new artists emerge and we see this image challenge a great way to give artists more exposure while rewarding them with cool prizes and recognition. Winners will be selected based on the judges' opinions of the most successful interpretation of each challenge brief.
Gnomon has created a series of tutorials that will appeal to anyone interested in a career path in visual arts. The availability of these lessons represents a significant opportunity for artists everywhere to elevate their skillsets to the next level.
I'd like thank you guys for all the hard work you've done over the years. I didn't have money for college so I spent what money I could come up with on your video series. Because of your excellent training tutorials, I was able to create a reel that got me a job where I am today and I am eternally thankful.
Their professors – and founders – are people who truly inspire. They don't just teach the 'how to' – they give you context, understanding and expectations of 'how to on the job'. Theirs is a practical approach to actually working in film, video and gaming. It's that amazing ideal, where art and making a living peacefully co-exist. You can certainly become a successful working artist without Gnomon, but with their pedigree, placement stats, culture and track record, why take that chance?
Extensive learning courses in the Gnomon Workshop library are hands down the most crucial training solution to our studio. Also we have seen Gnomon's reputation being even greater overseas. At our recent Philippines studio, our employees are constantly learning from Gnomon's online programs. As an art service company, we always need to have a wide range of expertise and Gnomon has built a colossal library of creative knowledge which we can have access to 24/7. I truly appreciate Gnomon's vision to help anyone have access to better themselves and chase their dreams.
Framestore has been a subscriber to the Gnomon Workshop for years and it remains a popular resource. Artists sign up on a nearly daily basis, and the content is relevant and valuable for visual effects. Their licensing offering is reasonable and flexible which is essential for us to be able to engage.
AAA game creation has evolved to become the proving ground for marrying the arts with technology – artists need to have exceptionally creative ideas that they can then implement through a digital medium, and then thoroughly optimize those art assets so that a console, consumer PC or smartphone can process those assets at 60 frames per second. In order to achieve this, artists need to have access to the latest techniques and knowledge, regardless of where they're based. Capcom's artists are able to take on this challenge specifically thanks to Gnomon, with its vast library of cutting edge knowledge and tutorials available 24 hours a day anywhere in the world – even here in Osaka.
I am often asked about schools and training by beginning fx artists and always tell them to go to the Gnomon site ... what more could you ask for? A comprehensive library of masterful level art, taught by generous and devoted professionals of the highest level that allow you to see their entire process without holding back the essential details and tricks of their own personal styles! I currently study the ever evolving digital options that have to offer in zbrush and concept design myself!
I am often asked about schools and training by beginning fx artists and always tell them to go to the Gnomon site ... what more could you ask for?
cutting edge knowledge and tutorials available 24 hours a day anywhere in the world
I only wish that Gnomon had existed when I was a kid. It's that brilliant nexus of imagination and practical reality.
Click to hear what many of the industry's top artists think about the Gnomon Workshop!
Try a Class on Campus
Gnomon specializes in computer graphics education for careers in the entertainment industry.
Latest News in & Around the CG World
Community for entertainment artists
Check out the Latest Show
Artists from the game and movie world show off their work


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CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Jarome Iginla's goal in the third round of a shootout Saturday was the game-winner in the Calgary Flames' 3-2 victory over Vancouver.
Calgary's Olli Jokinen went first in the tie-breaker and scored on Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, but Alexandre Burrows evened it up in the second round with a forehand shot through the pads of Miikka Kiprusoff.
But Iginla quickly put the Flames back in front when he made a series of aggressive stickhandling moves and slid the puck past an outstretched Luongo.
Kiprusoff stopped Mason Raymond on the Canucks' last try and finished with 29 for the game as the Flames kept their Western Conference playoff hopes alive.
Michael Cammalleri and Roman Horak scored to give the Flames a 2-0 lead, but tallies by Cody Hodgson and David Booth evened it up.
Luongo turned aside 16-of-18 shots.